Future Changes For Assessing Internationally Qualified Nurses

Te Kaunihera Tapuhi o Aotearoa The Nursing Council of New Zealand today announced that it intends to introduce a new model to assess the competence of nurses educated outside Aotearoa New Zealand.

From the beginning of 2024, the Council will directly assess a nurse’s competence through an initial online test, a clinical exam, and a compulsory learning module. The online test will test nurses’ conceptual and theoretical knowledge. The learning module will introduce nurses to key features of nursing in Aotearoa New Zealand, including Te Tiriti o Waitangi, cultural safety and kawa whakaruruhau, and the structures and expectations that guide nursing and health care. The clinical exam will be an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE).

The Council will also be introducing a clear dedicated path for those Internationally Qualified Nurses (IQNs) who wish to join the Register as Enrolled Nurses.

“We are confident this new model will preserve public safety, which is our core statutory role, and reflects modern good practice in regulation” said Catherine Byrne, Chief Executive and Registrar of the Nursing Council. “Australia and the United Kingdom have moved to this way of assessing international applicants. Requiring all nurses to complete a learning module also helps ensure that from day one they understand the unique environment, culture, and expectations of nursing in Aotearoa New Zealand – including our specific approach to concepts such as cultural safety.”

Byrne also noted that this will reduce the compliance burden on international nurses wanting to practise here. “Because we will assess nurses’ competence directly, we can reduce the amount and type of other evidence we require. For example, rather than requiring a minimum number of recent practice hours, we will only be asking nurses to have practised for at least a year after gaining their initial qualification.”

When the new model is in place, nurses will no longer need to complete a Competence Assessment Programme (CAP) before joining the Register.

“Recent research has shown that nurses do value the pastoral care and orientation elements of CAPs. We will be exploring how we can preserve these under the new model and engaging with current CAP providers about this,“ said Catherine Byrne. “This could involve supporting orientation programmes for new nurses that extend their knowledge in areas such as Te Ao Māori, and working with partners to develop guidance for organisations who employ internationally qualified nurses.”

Over the next 15 months the Council will work with the sector, national and international experts, and contracted partners to develop detailed elements of the new model. This time is needed to ensure that assessments are fair, calibrated appropriately, and comprehensive, and that the necessary delivery infrastructure is in place. It will also allow for a transition process to be developed that avoids unnecessary disruption for nurses, employers, and the health and disability support system. While the new model is under development, the Council will continue refining and enhancing its current assessment processes.

“We must ensure that moving to a new model does not affect the current flow of IQNs into Aotearoa New Zealand,” said Catherine Byrne. “It is also important to ensure we have a model that allows the public to be confident in the competence of their nurses, and international nurses to be confident that assessment processes are fair. Our target date of the beginning of 2024 allows us to balance all these factors while still moving at pace to the new model.”

The Council consulted on the new model over April and May this year through meetings, requests for written submissions, and an online survey. The Council received over 400 written and survey submissions on this – the largest response to a consultation round in its history. These responses were clearly in favour of the proposed changes; 75% of all survey respondents (and 79% of internationally qualified nurses) clearly supported moving to this model.

The Nursing Council is the statutory body that regulates nursing practice, education, and conduct under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (the HPCA). Its purpose under this Act is to protect the health and safety of the public by providing the mechanisms to ensure that nurses are safe and fit to practise. Every nurse must join the Council’s Register before they are able to work as a nurse in Aotearoa New Zealand. The HPCA sets down specific requirements and areas that the Council must pay attention to in this process.

Internationally Qualified Nurses are a key part of Aotearoa New Zealand’s nursing workforce. They currently constitute 32% of nurses with Annual Practising Certificates and are especially important for some sectors, such as Aged Care.

Additional information regarding the new model will be available in the news item on the Council’s website.

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